Benefits Specialist

HouseWorks Home Care•Woburn, MA

3d•$85,000 - $100,000

About The Position

Fueled by a real understanding of today’s challenges, HouseWorks is committed to a fundamental re-imagining of what it means to age. With over 20 years of operating experience, we have built a replicable service prototype, developed profitable, long-standing referral relationships, and created an innovative brand that positions us to serve the future customer. HouseWorks has grown to be one of the largest single-site private home care companies in the country and is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of its employees and the people it serves.We are embarking on an exciting new growth chapter that focuses on client service excellence, caregiver engagement, technological innovation, and growth in new markets. We are a mission-driven organization that is dedicated to improving the lives of seniors as they age. We are passionate about what we do -- providing seniors and their families with a comprehensive, vetted and coordinated in-home service network that is high-touch, tech-enabled, compassionate and extremely well managed. We are in the exciting and dynamic home healthcare industry. Our market opportunity is large and growing as the baby boomers age and the home increasingly becomes the epicenter for care as consumers demand convenience and lower-cost solutions. Job Summary: Reporting to the Director of Benefits, the Benefits Manager serves as a key resource for employees in navigating leave of absence and benefits programs. This role primarily focuses on the administration and oversight of leave programs, ensuring accurate communication and coordination with third-party leave administrators and internal teams. The Benefits Manager provides guidance on leave requirements, ADA accommodations, and return-to-work procedures, monitors leave activity for compliance, and supports reporting, data analysis, and continuous process improvement initiatives. In addition to leave administration, this role supports the management and administration of the company’s benefit programs. The Benefits Manager maintains benefit records, handles administrative procedures, and assists with program development and implementation. This position also supports open enrollment and special enrollment processes, contributes to policy updates and employee communications, and handles benefit-related issues escalated by field locations to ensure timely, equitable, and courteous resolution.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
Intermediate to Advanced skills in Microsoft Suite Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint.
5-7+ years of experience of progressive HR experience with a focus on leave of absence, employee benefits or related HR functions.
Advanced analytical and data management skills, including:
Proficiency in Excel beyond basic functions (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, complex formulas, conditional formatting, data modeling, and charting) ability to manipulate large data sets, analyze trends, identify discrepancies, and produce actionable insights
Experience preparing reports and dashboards for leadership to support compliance, workforce planning, and strategic decision-making
In-dept knowledge of ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, FMLA rules and regulations
Ability to work with minimal supervision on assigned HR projects.
Experience working with third-party administrators and vendors
Demonstrates strong attention to detail with the ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Ability to plan, organize, and meet deadlines
Must remain in stationary position for long periods of time at desk or computer
Requires occasional standing, sitting, walking; using hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reaching with hands and arms; climbing stairs; hearing; talking
Office environment

Responsibilities

Act as the primary internal liaison between employees, managers, HR, payroll, and third-party leave administrators
Provide guidance and direction on leave processes, expectations, timelines, and required documentation
Review leave determinations, certifications, and vendor updates for accuracy, completeness, and compliance
Oversee coordination of payroll impacts, benefit deductions, and employment status changes related to leave events
Monitor leave activity, timelines, and return-to-work dates to ensure compliance and support workforce planning
Identify and escalate discrepancies, compliance risks, or process gaps in leave administration
Lead ADA accommodation guidance and facilitate the interactive process with managers and employees
Stay current on federal, state, and local leave laws and recommend strategies to maintain compliance
Analyze leave data, trends, and utilization reports; recommend process and operational improvements
Provide coaching and training to supervisors on leave workflows and compliance considerations
Assist in administration of employee benefit programs as needed.
Respond to employee benefit inquiries and provide guidance or direction to appropriate resources
Support open enrollment, special enrollment events, audits, reporting, and reconciliation activities
Ensure accuracy and integrity of employee benefit records
Monitor market trends, plan design updates, and disclosure requirements, providing recommendations to enhance programs
Ensure consistent application of HR policies, procedures, and standardized processes
Maintain confidentiality of sensitive employee information
Escalate complex or high-risk matters to management for review and decision-making
Contribute to policy updates, internal procedures, and employee communications
Identify opportunities to optimize workflows, enhance operational efficiency, and implement process improvements
Perform other duties as assigned